BN-PAS Joint Candidate Announcement Now in Doubt Over PN Technical Issues

MELAKA, Oct 24: A BN-PAS plan to share the stage to announce their respective candidates for the Melaka state election ttodaymay not materialise due to unresolved technical issues involving Perikatan Nasional’s status.

Melaka BN chairman Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh said the matter relates to a court ruling on a stay application and actions by the Registrar of Societies (ROS). He said PAS must first resolve the issues before deciding how to announce its candidates.

Despite the uncertainty, Ab Rauf stressed that the spirit of cooperation between BN and PAS remains unchanged, although their candidate announcements may be held on separate stages.

BN-PAS

Earlier, BN Chair Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said that Barisan Nasional (BN) and PAS will present their candidates for the Melaka state election side by side on Saturday (Oct 24), sharing one stage for the announcement.rsday night (Oct 22) after chairing a BN Supreme Council meeting at the Melaka International Trade Centre (MITC) in Ayer Keroh.

“God willing, on the same stage and in the same hall, we will make the announcement,” he told reporters, according to a Bernama report carried by Malay Mail.

Seat split for Melaka state election

Under the arrangement outlined by Zahid, BN will contest 21 of the 28 seats in the Melaka assembly. PAS and its strategic partners will take on the remaining seven.

The joint unveiling comes after PAS had earlier denied that seat negotiations with BN were finalised. Free Malaysia Today reported that Takiyuddin Hassan, who is secretary-general of both PAS and Perikatan Nasional (PN), has since confirmed the cooperation with BN, while noting that talks were still under way to refine the pact.

In the 2021 Melaka election, BN won 21 seats, Pakatan Harapan (PH) took five and PN secured two.

Ab Rauf takes over as election director

Zahid also announced a change in BN’s campaign leadership. Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh, who chairs the state BN, has been appointed the coalition’s election director for the polls.

He replaces Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, the Foreign Minister, who has commitments overseas during the campaign period.

Key dates ahead of Nov 14 polling

Nomination for the Melaka polls is fixed for Oct 31, with early voting on Nov 10 and polling on Nov 14.

Saturday’s event will give voters their first look at the combined BN-PAS slate, one week before nomination day. Zahid said he expected everything to be resolved smoothly.

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